NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards is set to give an update on Louisiana's response to the Covid-19 pandemic this afternoon.
WWL-TV will carry the press conference live at 1:30 p.m. in this story, in our app and on our Facebook and YouTube pages.
The governor's latest update comes as Louisiana reported the largest single-day increase in new COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.
The Louisiana Department of Health reported 7,548 new cases and 57 new deaths today. Hospitalizations continue to rise, though the numbers have slowed with just six more COVID-19 patients in Louisiana hospitals statewide for a total of 2,907 with 399 of them on ventilators.
Ninety-one percent of those patients are not vaccinated against COVID-19.
Gov. Edwards reinstated Louisiana's statewide mask mandate at the beginning of August. Residents, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, are required to wear masks in all indoor settings, including schools.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell also announced beginning Monday, residents and visitors must show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or a recent negative test to go inside restaurants, bars, and other indoor venues, including the Caesars Superdome.
Louisiana universities and hospitals plan to mandate the vaccine for employees once the FDA grants full approval for Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine.
Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine may be fully approved by Labor Day. Moderna is also on its way to approval and Johnson and Johnson expects to apply for full approval later this year.
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